Climate and Health Stories: Kara Dennis

Meet Kara Dennis.

Kara is a hydrologist (water scientist) with our Environmental Health Division.

What most excites you about your work?

Kara: My work focuses on protecting groundwater. About 75% of Minnesotans get their drinking water from groundwater. We have a responsibility to keep drinking water safe for our communities, other states and nations, and future generations. I take a lot of pride in my role of protecting our water resources and the health of Minnesotans.

How is your program preparing for and/or responding to climate changes in Minnesota?

Kara: MDH has been responding to an increase in flooding events by distributing kits that test flooded wells for bacteria. Some parts of Minnesota have vulnerable geology, which can exacerbate groundwater contamination during a flood.

Why do you think it’s important for MDH to be working on this issue?

Kara: Climate change can impact our water, here in Minnesota. With a warming atmosphere, more evaporation occurs, and warmer air can also hold more water vapor than cool air. The rate of precipitation across Minnesota has increased as well as flooding. Floodwater can carry contaminants and debris, which can enter an aquifer via a flooded well.

How has climate change impacted your life personally?

Kara: I can perceive differences in the winters of my childhood versus the winters of my early adulthood. Winter activities that I used to enjoy, such as cross-country skiing, are becoming difficult due to warming winters. I also experienced the effects of Hurricane Sandy and saw the damage from extreme weather events while living in New York.

How has integrating climate change into your work allowed you to collaborate with programs you normally wouldn’t?

Kara: Mitigating the negative effects of climate change requires a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach. In order to help protect groundwater from contamination during flooding, I am working with various groups within MDH as well as local programs to prepare for future flooding events.

What do you think are the biggest opportunities for climate and health moving forward?

Kara: There is a lot of work to do to prepare for the consequences of climate change in order to keep our communities safe and protect the health of Minnesotans. As our climate changes, we have to adapt our communities accordingly. That will require a lot of work, a lot of outreach and education and a lot of collaboration.